USGS NUKU'ALOFA- A MODERATE earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 struck off northern Tonga on Monday, seismologists reported.

There were no early reports of damage after the earthquake at 9.28am (2128 GMT Sunday, 5.28 am Monday Singapore time).

The quake was centred 355 kilometres north of the main island of Vava'u at a depth of 14 kilometres, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Nine people died five weeks ago when a tsunami hit the northern Tongan island of Niuatoputapu following an 8.0 magnitude earthquake.

The tsunami also killed 143 people in Samoa and another 34 in neighbouring American Samoa. -- AFP